Can Eagles Play Eight Man Front Versus The Cowboys?

I must say that I’m concerned about the Cowboys Ezekiel Elliott and their running game. The Birds defense is going to be required to stop that running game with a seven-man front or they can make it an eight man front by bringing a safety up into the box. In doing that, they will run the risk of one of the Dallas wide receivers getting behind cornerbacks Leodis McKelvin, Nolan Carroll or Jalen Mills.

Regardless of the counter move by the Cowboys, the Eagles must stop or contain the Dallas ground game. They can’t let Elliott and that offensive line take over the game and pound their defense into oblivion. They must counter it with an eight-man front

I don’t know if you have noticed, but McKelvin, Carroll and Mills have all shown a vulnerability to the deep ball. If you move one of the Eagles talented safeties, either Malcolm Jenkins or Rodney McLeod up on the line of scrimmage to create an eight man front, it leaves the defense vulnerable to a big play deep.

I’ll be interested in seeing what Jim Schwartz does if the Cowboys running game starts having some success. He could attempt to run blitz them or send a safety or cornerback off the corner.

Will Dallas’ young quarterback Dak Prescott recognize the blitz, then audible to a play that will take a shot downfield against the man-to-man coverage outside? I don’t like the potential matchup of Terrance Williams on McKelvin, Carroll or Mills in a foot race for a deep ball. I do believe all of them can matchup well against Dez Bryant because he’s not a speed guy. I think Williams can outrun any of our cornerbacks because neither of them has great speed. I think Carroll is the fastest with McKelvin and Mills being slower. I think this is a tough matchup for the Birds secondary.

In the slot, I don’t like the matchup for Malcolm Jenkins versus Cole Beasley. Jenkins matches up well versus big receivers, but small quick receivers give him problems. Beasley is small and quick.

So far in the first six games of the season, Prescott has done a great job of taking what defenses have given him. Will he continue with that attitude or will he take more shots down the field? It’s simple, the Eagles defense line has two assignments and they’re not easy ones, stop Elliott on the ground and get pressure on Prescott to throw him off his game.

I’m eagerly looking forward to seeing what adjustments are made during this battle for first place in the NFC East. The Cowboys offense is a tough matchup for the Eagles defense, but Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz may have some schemes and adjustment to make the difference.

Terrance Williams & Brice Butler are the Deep threats for the Cowboys..
Terrance Williams has big ability can have huge games as well as being inconsistent , keep an eye on him early on as the Cowboys will take some deep shots early.. Butler is a big quick Receiver with a 15 Year Average per Catch which is pretty strong in a limited role..

It’s important to be physically engaged with the outside receivers,the deep safety help ,must be there ..Stopping the run ,will fall on the front 7.It’s a ,choose your poison ,philosophy,but quick ,big plays in the vertical game vs gap swareness on the grpund..I personally think,the deep ball threat is something id prefer,hoping we put hits on Dak and or disguise coverages

Browns fans can’t stand Joe Haden. They don’t think that he’s good and commits lots of penalties plus he’s oft injured. The Browns fans are ready to trade Haden..that speaks volumes. Don’t get caught up on names from the past.
No to Haden. The Eagles should just ride the season out and get their guys in the draft and free agency. Work in CJ Smith and Grimes from the practice squad. See what you have on your roster first.

joe haden is better than mclevin,caroll and mills who i think is better suited for the cover 2 and isn’t a man to man guy hell i think cj smith was better than mills in the preseason…joe haden here would cover up the only weakness this defense has..

1. Agholor sucked on the 2nd and one “whiff” block
2. Agholor sucked on the easy slant which would have made 1st and goal.
3. Pederson chickened out a bit deciding not to go for it on 4th and 1 and taking the FG instead, I understand he did the “traditional” thing, but I would have gone for it.

That’s it so far.

Agholor has got to go. Not only is he useless, but he’s taken 2 free first downs off the field. He is hurting the team.

Offensively, the Eagles are not going to have success attacking the Cowboys edges, they are too fast collectively on the outside.. Eagles have to attack in-between the numbers and into the teeth of the Cowboys Defense, and not the edges

Cowboys CB’s are their Strength on D, but their Safeties can be exploited.. eagles need to utilize their TE’s in the seams and down the middle..
Eagles WR’s are getting man-handles by Carr, Scandrick, Claiborne
Claiborne will be a Free-Agent after this Seadon and has disappointed until this Year.. he has risen his stock & $$$$ with the Season he’s having so far..

Dink & Dunk is working with the hurry up pace which has the Cowboys discombobulated in the Secondary… big Drive by Sproles & J Matthews
Now let’s see how Prescott responds being down for he has looked shaky all game long.. outside 1 Big Pass to Bryant early on, they haven’t done much in the passing game.. Prescott has been off all game and I’m surprised they got away from running the ball..

Nice Stop by Defense.. up by 10 with 11 minutes left.. Good field position, A TD Drive puts this Game away, even a FG here would have to make the Cowboys have to get 2 TD’s..
Just Protect the Ball!!! Damn.. I spoke too damn soon..

Nice Def Stand after that Smallwood Fumble..
Eagles CB’s have been aggressive all Game out the outside and its paying off since Prescott is not looking off or going to his 2nd,3rd Reads very much
Have Sproles/Barner handle the running calls
Ryan Matthews, Wendell Smallwood should remain on sidelines

Wentz is light Years ahead of any Rookie QB I have seen come into the NFL in quite some time… Big Ben or Peyton Manning in terms of handling the Game, Situation, the Huddle and at the line of Scrimmage.. I’m impressed …

I hated that 3rd Down Play-Call… hit a quick 5-6-7 Yard Pass for an easier FG attempt and make it a 2 Score Game again…

Terrible Coverage by Nolan Carroll Jr on that TD Catch by Dez.. you have to know where the Ball is and you can’t let a 6-3 225lb WR have free inside position in the End Zone.. that was too easy for the Cowboys there..

Choke job by the Eagles. You can’t be up by 10 in the 4th and not score a point…then allow Dallas to score 10 unanswered to tie and send the game in OT. Then score a TD in OT to end the game. Brutal loss.

I actually had it being anyone’s game. Last person with the ball wins is what I thought. They both looked like rookies at points. And they both looked liked the future of their respective franchises at other points.

A Tough Loss for sure… The Eagles had their chances to go up 13 or 17 Pts early in the 4th and then got too conservative and played not too lose which you cannot do… Eagles have to find a way to get some explosive Plays into their Offense… they will not be able to dink and dunk their way down the field consistently against Goodbye Defenses.. Just too many things have to go right to have 10-12-14 Play Drives.. with Tradeline coming up, maybe the Eagles can Trade Ryan Matthews and get a WR in Return or a 3rd/4th Rd Draft Pick..

This one was again ,a very winnable road game..smallwood in the 4th ,ultimately cant be trusted.The coach had a brain fart on the down,and distance throwing behind the line of scrimmage ,when a run ,eats clock and allows for a 10 point game..the AR comparisons are haunting..The half glass full ,we out plaued dallas ,we had moments that the defensive side was balling..but watching jerry jones ,just burns my ass

What Teams have some WR’s in their Dog Houses…
Lions with Golden Tate — maybe they can use RB Ryan Matthews
Cardinals with Michael Floyd — they can use a LB or TE
Vikings with Coradelle Patterson could use RB Matthews or a OL (Tobin)
Colts with Phillip Dorsett or Dontae Moncrief – they could use OL, TE, LB, DE
Broncos with Cody Latimer could use Veteran RB Matthews

Trade Deadline is this Week

Wonder if Eagles were trying to showcase WR N Agholor early in the Game.. after 1st Quarter, he was not involved very much..

33 year old Darren sproles is the only weapon the eagles have on offense. Agholor should never have a play called for him again, he is beyond horrible. Lousy play-calling by pederson in the 4th and for the life of me I don’t comprehend the thinking on defense. Schwartz had Dallas resorting to fake fg’s and wr passes because the pressure package was stuffing Elliott and confusing Prescott, and when it mattered most, he stopped bringing pressure. No matter what this team is in desperate need of cb’s and wr’s going forward, but this game was in the bag and they got conservative and cute and it cost them.

Also, is it just me, or does ertz either fall down, or lay down, or whatever on every play? I’ve never seen a man the size of a TE just fall down like that? Most TE catch the ball and look to steamroll a DB, not ertz, he gets down immediately. I think I’m at the point where what I hope he’ll become, doesn’t intersect with what he is.

I agree Everz11.. I think Ertz is concerned with his long term Healthnand appears to play at 3/4 Speed & Passion anymore..
He’s been a huge disappointment this Season along with Agholor who everyone was expecting to see a step forward in their Play & Production and instead have both taken steps backward
Jordan Matthews is the most reliable receiver but can’t run away from anyone so he’s a slot Receiver leaving a big void along the outside and Defenses don’t have to double any outside Receiver which allows Defenses to keep their Safeties inside the numbers to take care of Slot Receivers & the TE’s